This story appears in the February 14 issue of Sporting News magazine. Voting was conducted before the playoffs.

Since Thomas Dimitroff became Atlanta’s general manager in 2008, the Falcons have been to the playoffs twice and won more games than in any three-year stretch in team history. Solid drafts (Matt Ryan), trades (Tony Gonzalez) and free-agent signings (Michael Turner) have the Falcons set to be contenders for the foreseeable future.

For those reasons, Dimitroff, 44, has been voted Sporting News executive of the year in a poll of NFL G.M.s, assistant G.M.s, owners, personnel men and head coaches. “I am very humbled to be named the executive of the year by my peers,” he says. “It means a lot to receive this award, but there were a number of general managers that were deserving of the honor. Ozzie Newsome and Scott Pioli, in particular, did tremendous jobs this season.”

Dimitroff, whose dad, Tom Sr., played in the AFL, coached in the CFL and scouted in the NFL, comes by his humility the hard way: He has earned it. In addition to jobs with the Lions, the Chiefs, the old Browns, the new Browns and the Patriots before the Falcons, Dimitroff worked in the Canadian Football League, the World League of American Football and a corporate football league in Japan.

Dimitroff wants positive, passionate, persevering people to play, coach and work for the Falcons. He needed those three attributes to get where he is today. “It’s not all about off-the-charts intelligence or unbelievable creativity,” he says.

Dimitroff recounted what he has learned in his football travels for Sporting News.

Saskatchewan Rough Riders, CFL

Canadian scouting coordinator, 1990-91

“I basically did everything from soup to nuts as far as the job goes. I learned a lot on the fly, from training camp coordination to working closely with the league on league issues.”

World League of American Football

Scout, 1992

“I was not only doing personnel but was involved in administration as well as some coaching. Make sure you highlight and underline -- limited coaching. I realized scouting was what I wanted to do.”

Japan

Defensive coordinator in a corporate league, 1992

“You’re dealing with these players who are incredibly intelligent engineers. It was very admirable for these players to play on their company team. Though I had thought about working in the business sector -- and I had even contemplated going back to law school or the Peace Corps -- after I spent my time there, I realized I wanted to get back stateside and focus as much as possible in finding a job in the National Football League.”

Cleveland Browns

Grounds crew, 1993

“I was working on the grounds crew during the day. At night, I would spend time watching film, evaluating players. The other thing that is not widely known: During that time, when Bill Belichick was our head coach (and) my dad was on that staff, I was not only doing the grounds crew during the day -- Kansas City hired me. Well, I can’t even say hired me. But I was being used by Kansas City as a very, very part-time scout in the Ohio and Pennsylvania area. Friday and Saturday I’d be out scouting for another team, while during the week I was working on the Browns’ grounds crew. It wouldn’t fly today in our building, I can tell you that. I wouldn’t let someone who was also working for another organization within a mile of our building.”

Detroit Lions

Scout, 1994-1997

“It was nuts and bolts of scouting, 100 percent. I had some adept personnel people to work with -- Kevin Colbert (now the Steelers’ director of football operations) and Ron Hughes (the Steelers’ college scouting coordinator).

They were quite demanding. They were very serious and proud of their craft.”

Cleveland Browns

College scout, 1998-2001

“We all know we learn from the good things, but we also learn from the challenging things, the wrong moves. I had an opportunity to see some of that firsthand, respectfully speaking. I don’t want to sound like I’m bashing Cleveland.”

New England Patriots

National scout, 2002

Director of college scouting, 2003-07

“I had an opportunity to take everything I learned as a child through my dad, all of his tutoring over the years about the importance of team and the team concept. I had an opportunity to see Scott (Pioli) and Bill (Belichick) put it into effect and see a team come to life. What I learned in New England was invaluable in that way and set the tone for my career going forward.”

Atlanta Falcons

General manager, 2008-present

“(Coach) Mike Smith and I set out at the very beginning to focus on a three-year plan, to acquire through the draft and free agency, and get to a spot by the third year to be a significant player, air quotes, in the National Football League. … We stay philosophically consistent. We’re very particular about trying not, as much as possible, to be moved by emotional, off-the-cuff decisions.”

What’s next:

“No question we have some tweaks to make going forward. We need to be more explosive in a number of ways. We were very low in the explosive play category on our offense. … The whole package, I’m very encouraged by where we are after three years. Encouraged but not satisfied. There’s definitely a fire burning in my belly as well as Coach Smith’s and (owner) Arthur Blank’s. We have a lot more to accomplish to live up to our expectations.”

About the voting

Sporting News surveyed 47 NFL G.M.s, assistant G.M.s, owners, personnel men and head coaches for the executive of the year. Dimitroff received 13 votes, Chiefs G.M. Scott Pioli came in second with eight, and Buccaneers G.M. Mark Dominik was third with seven.